Practising Charms
by Lily MJ Fae
Summary: Barty Crouch Junior is trying to study for a Charms exam. His friends decide that he's doing it all wrong an interrupt him, luring him outside. Round 1 submission for Quidditch League Season 4
_**A/N:**_ _It's time again! Quidditch League has started up and round one has already begun. This year I am still a part of_ _ **The Ballycastle Bats**_ _but I am no longer keeper. I have upgraded to the wonderfully, semi-stressful, lovely role of_ _ **Captain**_ _. Our first prompt is DEATH EATERS. Except we can't write any of the fun stuff. Love you guys! Possible OOC however given that we know nothing about about Barty in his school years, it's all hearsay. I did do a very thorough search through his Harry potter wiki page that says he fell in with the wrong crowd after graduation, so I'm assuming that before then, he might have been a decent guy. Also, this is fairly new for me as far as writing style goes. It's outside my comfort zone, but I decided to branch out._

 _ **Prompts:**_

 _Qudditch league: Write your chosen Death eater with their friends._

 _Quidditch Pitch: "Oh let me try!"_

 _Drabble Club: We'll trade, how about that? I give you the book, and you give me a kiss."_

 _Final word count: 976_

 _Enjoy_

* * *

Barty sat alone in the library, his books spread out, completely lost in thought. He had to pass this test or risk evoking his father's rage yet again. He desperately wanted to avoid another howler.

A book slamming down on the table next to him brought him out of his thoughts and into the otherwise silent library. Libby stood right next to him, her head cocked to one side with a slight grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"What are you doing, Barty?"

He rolled his eyes. "Studying, of course. Or did you forget about the big Charms exam coming up?"

"I didn't forget; it's just not practical to be studying for it in here. You should be practising."

"Practising what?" Abby asked as she strolled over to the table, her books clutched to her chest.

"The best way to study for a charms test is by practising the charms, don't you think?" Libby posed to her friend. "I'd think any Ravenclaw would know that."

"Well, the saying is that practice makes perfect," Abby replied.

Both girls sat down across from him.

"If practice makes perfect, why are you here with books?" Barty retorted.

"Because I am doing a quick study on technique before I go outside to practise."

"And how do you know I'm not doing that?"

"Because you're actively taking notes and drawing diagrams. You clearly have no intention of actually practising," Libby interjected.

Barty mumbled under his breath. These girls were too smart. He sometimes couldn't remember why he was friends with them and sometimes wondered if they had Imperiused him into it.

"I hope I haven't missed anything fun!" declared Celia as she strolled up to the table, twirling her wand. "I over slept."

"It's noon," Libby remarked. "I think that's a little bit past over-sleeping."

"I was up late reading. Anyway, what have I missed?" she asked as she fell gracefully into the chair next to Barty.

"I've been trying to study for Charms."

"But it's so pretty outside, you really ought to take advantage of the beautiful weather and come with us to practise. Come on; let's go to the court yard," Celia declared, jumped up from the seat almost as quickly, grabbing Barty's book as she moved.

"Give me back my book!"

"Only if you agree to my terms."

"I don't want to go outside!"

"We'll trade, how about that?" she taunted, a smug grin lighting up her face. "I give you the book, and you give me a kiss."

He reeled at the idea. She was his _friend_. "Fine, I'll go outside! Just give me back my book."

"I thought you'd say that."

* * *

The four of them now stood in the courtyard. Barty thought they looked like an odd group; one boy and three girls. One Hufflepuff and three Ravenclaws. It just seemed strange to him.

"So what charms are we practicing again?" Abby asked, wand at the ready. "Oh, I remember! _Levicorpus!_ "

With a wave of her wand, Barty was floating, flailing at the lack of gravity.

"Put me down!" He hated floating. He rarely flew on brooms because the idea of heights terrified him. One of his many short comings, according to his father.

Abby complied and lowered her friend gently.

"Oh, let me try!" Libby exclaimed, pulling out her own wand. " _Levicorpus!_ "

Just as Barty managed to correct himself once more, he was lifted into the air again. His heart raced and his gut dropped. Weightlessness was not all that it was cracked up to be. The howler he had received about his Transfiguration results on his last exam had been bad enough, but now he had to deal with these three and their childish whims.

"You guys, this isn't funny!" He shouted, sick of being pushed around.

The girls stopped giggling, and Libby set him down.

He righted himself once more and glared at them. "Why are we friends again?"

The girls' faces dropped. Libby was the first to speak, "Oh, Barty, we don't mean it. We just thought this would be more fun. You seem more stressed lately. N.E.W.T.s are on the way. You'll do better if you aren't so stressed."

"I'm fine," he snapped back.

"Okay, okay, we're sorry. You could try on us," Abby added in.

He glared for a moment, making the girls begin to back away, ready to give him his space. Then, he whipped out his wand. " _Levicorpus!_ "

Celia found herself lifted off the ground, floating at his discretion, thankful that she had chosen to wear pants that day and not her usual skirt.

"Hey, why me? I didn't use it against you," she said through giggles, completely failing to keep a stern face.

"You threatened to make me kiss you!"

"It was in jest. I wasn't going to actually _make_ you kiss me. It was just so you would come outside and have some fun with us."

"You're kidding me. You mean I could have stayed inside if I was persistent enough? I could have kept studying?"

Celia shrugged and pulled out her own wand. "It's not my fault that you fancy boys. I simply used that information to my advantage. _Expelliarmus!"_

His wand flew out of his hand, and she fell to the ground, but managed to keep from getting too scratched up by casting a quick cushioning charm.

"You'll pay for that, witch," he shouted as he grabbed his wand. " _Aguamenti!_ "

The water jetted from his wand and sprayed Celia.

"Oh, no you didn't! _Aguamenti!_ "

She cast the spell at Barty, but he moved, causing the spell to hit Libby.

Within in minutes, the four friends were soaked through, on the ground, laughing so hard their stomachs hurt.

"This—is—why—I—don't—study—with—you—guys—," Barty tried to explain between breaths.

"At least you're having fun!" They declared in unison.


End file.
